Driver etiquette when running

I try to make eye contact so I know they've seen me and they know I've seen them, and if there's a car coming the other way I either stop or hop on to a verge if possible. I try and avoid busy roads, or at least certain roads at certain times of day. I always thank them.

There is something quite odd about a runner running towards you while you are trying to slow and negotiate to drive by with oncoming traffic , they are ploughing towards you,no matter what you are doing. The drivers shouldn't be rude to you though as you have priority as the pedestrian.

I live in a village. Unless I do 1.5 mile loops (a bit more if you go up and down every single feckin' cul-de-sac!) I have to run where there are no pavements.

I don't think I've ever had to make a car wait. Even if there is no verge to hop on, I can stop and stand close to the edge of the road. Sometimes I'll indicate that I'm heading for a layby or passing place and there will be a nod of acknowledgment. Mostly people are not arses.

If there's an obvious grass verge I will move over but if there isn't, then cars have to wait, even if they don't like it. I do try to avoid roads without pavements though, as it's just too dangerous if a driver isn't paying attention (and lets face it, even roads with pavements aren't that safe as so many drivers think it's fine to park and drive on them).

That does sometimes happen to me and I feel the pressure to run fast and well!
It happens on a single track road, which (if I run at the right time of day) is thankfully pretty quiet. In some parts I can hug the side of the road and a car can still pass slowly, but there are a few points where I do need to either stop and pin myself to the verge, or hop onto it.

Now and again the oncoming car will wait where the road gets a bit wider. Always appreciated and I give them a big thanks, but boy.....that wouldn't be the time to start gurning, praying for help from Jesus, or just stop dead and do some stretching!

if I’d have driven down your road this wouldn’t have bothered me at all (good luck in the marathon btw!) having said that, I probably wouldn’t run down a road where I wasn’t prepared to hop into the verge. It gets difficult because you’re running towards cars so them waiting to pass can be difficult. I’d choose a different route next time

I live fairly rurally and run on country roads all the time. Tbh they’re not massively busy so it’s rare they have to wait behind me for another car to go by. Maybe once in a run. Generally the cars are fine with it. I always put my hand up to thank them for going round me safely.

I run on which ever side of the road has the best visibility. So on the outside of corners and the same side as the cars going up a blind summit and on the opposite side going down. They’re not super busy roads so easy to swap sides back and forth.

maybe drivers are a bit more chilled out where I live.

Of you have to slam on the brakes because you're approaching a pedestrian, you're driving too fast and you really should know the Highway code, if you're going to get behind the wheel, which requires that pedestrians face oncoming traffic.

The Highway Code states that pedestrians should travel facing the traffic

I also think that if you went on this route and found there was no pavement, you step to the side every so often to let the cars pass by.

I consider myself a fair, patient driver, will let cars out, say thank you etc. I do find it rude though when a very slow vehicle/person is going 10x slower than the speed limit and is oblivious to a massive queue building behind them.

OP- drivers might have just been shocked to see your jogging towards them and then been unable to pass.

I don't think you did anything wrong OP.

I have to run on a similar road to access fields and commons, I hate it. There's a blind bend with brambles so nowhere to go so I cross over to the other side where there's houses with driveways until i get past it. Once a man in a van pulled over and patronisingly advised me that I was on the wrong side of the road and i should be facing the traffic. Dickhead.

Well good luck in Manchester. Glad your training is going well. And glad you won’t have to share the roads with people who have absolutely no conception that there might be other people / vehicles / animals / forms of transport on the roads apart from themselves. Yet another reason who I’m glad I don’t live rurally.

There is room for them to pass if the pedestrian steps on to the verge for the safety of all road users including their own

This is why I hate running on country roads. It’s just unpleasant and you can’t relax into your run. I do think the etiquette is to step out of the way if you can. You’d be frustrated if you were stuck behind a slow runner on a narrow path I bet.

You see I feel the opposite to most in this thread. If I see a runner, out slogging their guts out, while I sit in the fat comfort of my car, I’d give way to them.

I think the Highway Code should give precedence to those making the most effort.

are you running London @Jenkibubble ? Good luck.

I run loads and tbh wouldn't have chosen your route, but if I do find myself on a road without a pavement, I'd step onto the verge to let cars pass.

What was the speed limit for cars on the road, @Jenkibubble ?

This post nails it.

Pedestrians have a right to use the roads (excluding motorways and expressways). That said, I do swerve certain nearby roads where there are prolonged stretches where I can't step out of the way safely or there are blind bends/ summits. I don't want to be dead right just because of a principle. But the ancient rights of way network assumes access to roads, is not aligned with the spread of 21st century housing/ demand and does sometimes require use of stretches of road to join up to other sections of footpath/ bridleway.

Drivers need to drive to the road conditions. Around the next bend there could be debris, a stranded vehicle, a slow vehicle, a farm animal, a pedestrian...

I always get on to the verge when a car is coming. I wouldn't trust many drivers not to get too close if I'm honest.

The problem might be similar to one I experience a lot as a driver. The roads here are narrow, and if they are two lane there is not room to also allow for a runner or cyclist.
runners come towards me and don’t stop - if a car is coming the other way, I have to slam in the brakes to avoid the runner - who continues to run towards me!

im used to crawling along behind cyclists but they are going the same way as me so its much less dangerous.
if runners are not going to stop they need to run with the traffic I guess.

I think what you did was fine. Pedestrians have the right to use roads as well and the cars should wait for you if there’s not room to pass.

The same as for pedestrians

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway-code/rules-for-pedestrians-1-to-35

You were right to jog on the opposite side of the road - giving you clear sight of oncoming traffic and at the same time giving them clear sight of you

(When approaching a blind corner cross over so that you are not hidden from line of sight by the corner)

Where practical step off the road to the verge

Many road users are however intolerant of anything that uses ‘their road’